Circuit controlling device for electric signs and the like



Nov. 13, 1934. G. H. LELAND f 1,980,542

'\ CIRCUIT- CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND LIKE Filed March 31, 1930- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v A /NV/VT0F?. GEORGE h. LELAND ATTURNEY Nov. 13, 1934. G. H. LELAND CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND THE LIKE Filed Mardh 51, 1930 2 Shpets -Sheet 2 //v VENTOH. E0965 H. L EL AND.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEC- TRIC SIGNS AND THE LIKE Application March 31, 1930, Serial No. 440,380

1'7 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit controlling devices for electric signs and the like and more particularly to a border chaser shown and described in the application for patent filed by me on March 31, 1930 Serial No. 440,379, in which application the border chaser is shown as a part of a complete flasher mechanism.

It is common practice to provide an electric sign with a border of lamps, the illumination of which is so controlled as to impart to the border the appearance of lengthwise movement and the device for so controlling the illumination of the border is known in the trade as a border chaser.

One object of the present invention is to provide a circuit controlling device of this character comprising one or more mercury tube switches and means for actuating the same at high speed to cause the circuits to be quickly opened and closed in positive timed relation one to the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which will be simple in its construction and operation and which can be produced at a low cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as designed primarily for use in connection with the flasher mechanism of the aforesaid application but it will be understood that this particular embodiment is shown for the purpose of illustration only and that the apparatus may take various forms and may be used either alone or in connection with sign flashers of various kinds.

In the particular embodiment here illustrated the apparatus is mounted on a frame which is preferably in the form of a'plate having an upper vertical portion 5 and a lower vertical portion 6, the two portions being offset and connected one to the other by an inclined transverse portion '7 having an opening 8 therethrough. Mounted on this frame, above the transverse portion '7 is a motor which is preferably of the well known induction type and which as here shown comprises a disk 9 rigidly secured to a shaft 10 which is supported at one end by a bearing 11 on the upper part 5 of the frame and at its outer end by a bearing 12 supported by a resilient plate 13 rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the lower part 6 of the frame. In the present instance, the

bearings are in the form of ball bearings and the bearing 11 is mounted on a fitting orcasting 14 secured to the part 5 of the frame and having a bore into which the end of the shaft extends, this I end of the shaft being tapered to engage the ball bearing. The opposite end of the shaft-is also tapered to engage the ball bearing 12 which is carried by the resilient plate 13 and this plate is so arranged that the resiliency thereof will cause the bearing to exert a lengthwise pressure on the shaft and thus hold the same in firm but light contact with its bearings. The peripheral portion of the motor extends between the poles of one or more magnets, there being in the present instance two of these magnets, as shown at 16 and 17. The magnets are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on studs 18 extending outwardly from the part 5 of the frame and either magnet may be adjusted about its axis to cause it to embrace more or less of the peripheral portion of the disk or act upon the same at a varying radius and thus vary the speed at which the disk is rotated by the magnets. The magnets are held in their adjusted positions by means of screws 19 which extend through the slots 20 in the part 5 of the frame and are threaded into arms 21 rigidly secured to the magnets.

The present apparatus is designed for use with a border in which the lamps are arranged in groups of four, the corresponding lamps of each group being connected with a single circuit and the several circuits of each group being inter-, rupted in succession. The four circuits for this border are controlled by two mercury tube switches 22 and 23 each of which has near its respective ends contact portions, here shown as wells 24 and 25, and these contact portions are connected with the respective circuits. Each tube also has an intermediate contact portion or well 26 which is connected with a conductor which is common to the two circuits with which the end contacts are connected. Preferably the tube is curved downwardly so that when inan inter mediate position the contact 26 will be slightly lower than the contacts 24 and 25. All three contact wells are filled with mercury, or other suitable conducting fluid, and the body of the tube contains mercury in sufficient quantity to bridge the space between the intermediate contact 26 and either of the end contacts 25 but not sufficient to bridge all three contacts. Consequently when the tube is tilted in one direction the mercury will connect the intermediate contact with'one of the end contacts, thereby closing that circuit, and when the tube is tilted in the other direction the mercury will connect the intermediate contact with the other end contact, thus breaking the first mentioned circuit and closing the circuit of the last mentioned contact. The several contacts are connected by flexible conductors 27 with a distributing panel 28 through which they are connected with the several lamp circuits.

The mercury tube switches are actuated or tilted at high speed and about a long radius so that in operation the mercury will remain substantially stationary and the tube will move with relation thereto, thus avoiding the necessity of overcoming the inertia of the mercury and enabling the tubes to be operated at very high speed. In the present. construction, each tube is carried by clips 29 and 30 which are rigidly secured, respectively, to the lower ends of actuating arms 31 and 32 which are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on the part 5 of the frame. Preferablythe two arms are mounted on a common axis and as here shown they are pivotally' mounted on 'a stud 83 extending outwardly from the part 5 of theframe and arranged above the motor disk 9. The arms are arranged on opposite sides of the motor disk and intersect the motor shaft 10, each arm having an opening 34 between the ends thereof and through which the shaft 10 extends' 'Each arm is provided at the respective sides of its opening 34 with laterally extending parts 01" plates 35 between which are arranged eccentric disks 36 which are rigidly se cured to the shaft 10 and which serve to impart oscillatory movement to the respective actuating arms. The eccentric disks being rigidly secured to the shaft and having direct contact with the contact surfaces of the respective arms it will be apparent that the arms will be oscillated at motor speed. In the present construction, the mercury tubes are arranged below the transverse .portion of the frame and the connecting arms or clips extend through the opening in that portion of the frame, which opening is of sufficient width to permit of the oscillatory movement of the arms. Becauseof the fact that the actuating arms are pivotally mounted at points remote from the mercury tubes, and the high speed at which the arms are operated, the tubes will, as above explained, move with relation to the mercury and the contacts will be very quickly made and broken in a definite predetermined relation. The eccentric disk 36 for the arm 32 being arranged with its longest radius at substantially rightangles to the longest radius of the eccentric disk for the arm 31 it will beapparent that the tubes are so operated as to cause the several circuits to be broken and closed successively in a predetermined sequence.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that .I do, not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Havingnow fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a mechanism of the character described, a mercury tube switch having a contact near each end thereof and an intermediate contact between said end contacts and containing mercury in sufficient quantity to connect said intermediate contact with either of said end contacts, an arm pivota'lly mounted at one end, having at its other end means-to support said switch and having anopening .therethrough between its ends, a shaft extending through the opening in said arm, and a disk eccentrically mounted on said shaft and arranged to act on said arm and impart oscillatory movement thereto.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a supporting member pivotally mounted on said frame above said shaft, a mercury tube switch supported by said member below said shaft, said supporting member havingopposed contact surfaces arranged between said switch and the axis of said member, and an eccentric disk carried by said'shaft and arranged between said contact surfaces to impart continuous oscillatory movement to said supporting member.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a frame, a bearing on said frame, a second bearing arranged inline with and spaced from the first mentioned bearing, a resilient support for said second bearing, a shaft mounted on said bearings, a supporting member pivotally mounted on said frame above said shaft and extending to a. point below said shaft, a mercury tube switch carried'by said supporting member below said shaft, and means connected with said shaft and acting on said supporting member to impart oscillatory movement thereto. I a

4. In a mechanism of the character described, a mercury tube switch having a contact near each end thereof and an intermediate contact between said end contacts and containing mercury in sufiicient quantity to connect said intermediate contact with either of said end contacts, a revolving shaft, an arm pivotally mounted above said shaft, having means for supporting said switch below said shaft and having between its ends :an opening through which said shaft extends, anda disk eccentrically mounted on said shaft and ar ranged within said opening in said arm.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a frame, a shaft rotatably supported by said frame, an arm pivotally supported on said frame above said shaft and having anopening through which said shaft extends, an eccentric disk'secured to said shaft and acting on said arm to impart oscillatory movement thereto, and a mercury tube switch supported by said arm below said shaft and curved about an axis substantially coincident with the axis of said arm.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, arevolving shaft, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on a common axis above said shaft, and each having an-opening through which said shaft extends, ;each arm having contact surfaces at the respective edges of the opening therein, mercury tube switches supported by the respective arms below saidshaft, and eccentric disks mounted on said shaft between the contact surfaces of the respective arms and soarranged that they will impart continuous oscillatory movement to said arms in predetermined relation one to the other.

7. In a mechanism of the character described,

a supporting frame having upper and lower por-.

tions offset one from the other and a transverse portion connecting said upper and lower portions and provided with an-opening, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame above said transverse portion thereof, an actuating'arm pivotally mounted on said frame above said shaft and having an opening through which said shaft extends, means on said shaft for oscillating said arm, and a mercury tube switch supported by said arm below the a supporting frame comprising an upper vertical portion and a lower vertical portion arranged out of line with said upper portion, and a transverse portion connecting said upper and lower portions, a shaft, 2. bearing on the upper portion of said frame to receive one end of said shaft, a resilient member supported by and extending upwardly from the lower portion of said frame, a bearing carried by said resilient member to receive the other end of said shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on the upper portion of said frame, extending through said transverse portion and having an opening through which said shaft extends, means on said shaft to oscillate said arm, and a mercury tube supported by said arm below said transverse portion of said frame.

9. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, an arm pivotally mounted near one of its ends, a mercury tube switch mounted on said arm near the other end thereof and comprising a tube curved about an axis adjacent to the pivotal axis of said arm, and means acting on said arm between said switch and the pivotal axis of said arm to impart relatively short and rapidly recurring oscillatory movements to said arm.

10. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, an arm pivotally mounted near one end thereof, a mercury tube switch mounted on said arm near the other end thereof and comprising a tube curved about an axis adjacent to the pivotal axis of said arm, said tube having a contact near each end thereof, and an intermediate contact between said end contacts and containing mercury in sufficient quantities to connect said intermediate contact with either end contact, and a continuously rotating device acting on said arm between the ends thereof to impart relatively short and rapidly recurring oscillatory movements to said arm.

11. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch, an arm pivotally mounted near one of its ends, having near its other end means to support said switch, and having an opening therethrough between its ends, a shaft extending through the opening in said arm, and means carried by said shaft to impart rapid oscillatory movement to said arm.

12. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch connected in the circuit to be controlled and having its tube curved about a transverse axis, and an actuating device independent of said circuit for imparting to said tube relatively short and rapidly recurring reciprocatory movements in an arc corresponding approximately to the curvature of said tube and at a speed which will cause said tube to move with relation to the mercury while the latter remains substantially stationary.

13. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch having its tube curved about a transverse axis, whereby gravity tends to retain the mercury in the lowest portion of said tube, means for supporting said tube for reciprocatory movement in an arc corresponding substantially to the curvature thereof, and means for positively moving said supporting means in both directions at a high speed which will cause said tube to move with relation to the mercury while the latter remains substantially stationary.

14. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch comprising a tube curved about a transverse axis, means for supporting said tube for longitudinal movement in an arcuate path conforming substantially with the curvature of said tube and having a radius not less than the length of said tube, and means for imparting relatively short and rapidly recurring reciprocatory movements to said tube to cause the same to move with relation to the mercury while the latter remains substantially stationary.

15. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch comprising a tube curved about a transverse axis, having spaced contacts and containing mercury in a quantity sufficient to bridge said contacts but insufiicient to fill the cross sectional area of said tube at any point in its length, means for supporting said switch for longitudinal movement in an arcuate path conforming substantially to the curvature of said tube and having a radius of a length not less than the length of said tube, and means for imparting relatively short and rapidly recurring reciprocatory movements to said switch to cause said tube to move with relationto said mercury while the latter remains substantially stationary.

16. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a mercury tube switch comprising a tube having a contact near each end thereof and an intermediate contact between said end contacts, and containing a quantity of mercury sufficient to connect said intermediate contact with either of said end contacts but insuficient to fill the cross sectional area of said tube at any point in its length, said tube being curved about a transverse horizontal axis whereby gravity tends to retain the mercury in the lowest portion of said tube, means for sup porting said tube for longitudinal reciprocatory movement in an arc corresponding substantially to the curvature thereof, and continuously operating means for positively moving said supporting means in both directions at a speed which will cause said tube to move with relation to the mercury while the latter remains substantially stationary.

17. In a high speed controlling mechanism for electrical displays and the like, a pivoted switch supporting device, means for imparting relatively short and rapidly recurring oscillatory movements to said supporting device, and a mercury tube switch mounted on said supporting device for movement therewith and having its tube curved to conform substantially to the path of its movement and spaced from the axis of said supporting device a distance greater than the length of said tube.

GEORGE H. LELAND. 

